Fingal New Route Update May 2014 May 26 2014

The climbing season began in earnest at Bare Rock at easter now that the weather is cooling down. Since then, 6 new pitches have been added to the area. Garry Phillips completed a link-up of Angel Of Pain into Legends Never Die to produce Triple Direct, a super sustained 29, with a devastating crux move right below the anchors. On the Supernaut Face, I did a new 24 called Neon Knights, which does the first 4 bolts of Supernaut, then heads right and up for a sustained technical 40m pitch on superb rock. Andrew Martin is investing a lot of time, energy and bolts in an epic new multi-pitch route about 20m right of Sapphire Rose going all the way to the summit. Two of the five pitches have been led, a huge pitch of excellent grade 19 and one at grade 27 - 3 star climbing 120m off the deck on the astonishing upper headwall, surrendered by Andrew to Ingvar Lidman in a moment of stark reality check. Ingvar led his long standing project at New Horizons buttress and named it Judge Dredd (28), involving grade 25 face climbing up to a desperate boulder problem at three quarter height. Ingvar also completed the magnificent route Barbarella (27), a prominent line on the Boneyard face - written up in the new guidebook while it was still a project (how naughty). Other projects on the go include Garry's 3 projects on the Boneyard which will all weigh in around the 32 mark; Ingvar has bolted the big orange streak next to (and avoided by) Bisso of Orange. Initial shunting efforts seem to predict grade 29 for this one. Chris Coppand has 3 projects on the headwall above the great roof, surely one of the most outlandish positions in tassie climbing. And I'm close to ticking a new 25 on the Supernaut face.

Triple Direct 30m. 29. ***

Start up Angel Of Pain (26), then cross over Passchendaele (0.75 and 0.5 cam) and move left to gain the upper section of Legends Never Die. Super sustained with a desperate crux below the anchors on flailing arms. FA: Garry Phillips 24/5/14

Neon Knights. 40m. 24. **

Climb the first 4 bolts of Supernaut, then head right and up on perfect orange stone for sustained, excellent technical climbing. An old fashioned bridging problem in the upper corner may provide a redpoint crux for some. FA: Gerry Narkowicz. 22/4/14

Judge Dread 15m. 28. ***

The main face at New Horizons buttress. A beautiful line of natural holds on perfect dolerite. Grade 25 face climbing to a desperate boulder problem at three quarter height. FA: Ingvar Lidman 25/5/14